The present invention relates to a method for making a C.sub.3 or C.sub.4 olefin tetramer. More specifically, the present invention relates to a two-stage multiforming of C.sub.3 or C.sub.4 olefins or mixtures thereof to tetramer over a nickel-containing HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst. C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 tetramers and especially propylene tetramer are very useful petrochemical feeds for making detergents such as alkylbenzene sulfonates, and for making high quality middle distillates such as jet fuel.
Olefin dimerization, oligomerization, and polymerization processes are well known in the art. However, current processes have limited selectivity to tetramer and/or require large recycle of light polymer (C.sub.6 -C.sub.9), thus limiting throughput.
It has now been found that the described disadvantages for preparing C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 olefin tetramers can be eliminated or at least greatly reduced by a process which involves a high once-through conversion of C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 olefins or mixtures thereof to the corresponding tetramer by contacting the olefins in the liquid form with Ni-HZSM-5 in a two-stage process.